Zoo News

Endangered Amur Tiger Cubs Born at Dublin Zoo!

Thursday, 24 January 2019

Visit Dublin Zoo this weekend to celebrate the new arrivals!

Dublin Zoo is pleased to announce the birth of two Amur tiger cubs to first-time parents Tundra and Ussuri after a gestation period of 15 weeks. The female cubs weighed approximately 1.5kg each when they were born on October 14th and have grown rapidly to 15kg each and are ready for visitors this weekend at the tiger habitat in Dublin Zoo!

Team Leader Ciaran McMahon says, “The cubs are doing extremely well, Tundra is an exceptional first-time mother and she has shown strong maternal instincts from the very beginning.”

“Both cubs are very playful and energetic, just like their mother! The cubs have fun chasing each other and play-fighting which helps keep their claws sharp, while Tundra makes sure to clean them up straight afterwards, just like any good parent would.”

This Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th January from 11am-3pm, there will be tiger-themed activities and roarsome games to celebrate the new arrivals, free upon entry to Dublin Zoo!

Amur tigers are classified as an endangered species, with approximately 500 individuals believed to be living in the wild. Dublin Zoo hopes that the two young females will later become part of an international breeding programme for the species and contribute to the low population numbers. Formerly known as Siberian tigers, the name was changed to reflect where these tigers used to have a wider distribution and are now only found in the Amur Valley in Russia.

Naming Competition

To celebrate the birth of the cubs, Dublin Zoo is inviting the public to suggest names for the new arrivals based on their Russian origins. Name suggestions can be submitted at www.DublinZoo.ie/competition.asp and the winners will receive a family day pass to visit Dublin Zoo on a date of their choice.

Dublin Zoo, a not-for-profit organisation, is open seven days a week from 9.30am to 4.30pm in January, 9.30am- 5pm in February and 9.30am- 6pm from March - September. For further information on Dublin Zoo visit www.facebook.com/dublinzoo, www.dublinzoo.ie.